


Won't You Be My Friend?

by press05



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Familiars, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-18
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-06-30 08:23:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19849294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/press05/pseuds/press05
Summary: Loki frowned now staring at the cat. Panic seized him. Did he really summon a familiar? In his disappointment he had forgotten that a witch and familiar could communicate to each other. What if he had conjured up an ordinary cat?--[Witch/familiar au]





	Won't You Be My Friend?

**Author's Note:**

> Something based off an rp with a dear friend. It kinda got away from me so I figured I'd finish it up before going back to work on the ongoing fics. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Loki took a quick sharp breath before he began lighting candles. He ignored the feeling of a chill going up his back when he finished. Eyeing his work he nodded to himself before standing back more. He knew what to do next but couldn’t help himself as he looked back at his book as a reference once more.

Candles had been arranged in a circle? Check. Symbols had been drawn to help the process? Check. In the center of the circle were his ingredients? Check. A small mound of all sorts of goodies topped with a drop of his own blood? Check.

All that was left was the incantation and casting the spell.

Quietly to himself he mouthed the words in practice before nodding in satisfaction.

This was it.

Finally he’d have his own familiar.

He smirked as he imagined a sleek black cat or a sharp raven as his companion. He doubted he’d conjure a wolf like his sister had. Hela was just a league of her own. A cat or a raven though? That was certainly a match for him. Hell, he’d even accept a snake. He could be unique that way.

As he spoke the words and pictured in his mind what he wanted. He felt the magic within begin to surface. He continued chanting and the flames from the candles intensified. Inside the circle the dried blood began to bubble, spreading among the other ingredients.

Loki wrinkled his nose but continued to chant and as he did the ingredients seemed shift about. Dust from the pile somehow turning into a cloud of smoke over it. The smoke thickened, obscuring what was in the center but Loki didn’t stop his chanting.

All the while as he used his magic he felt a strange tugging sensation inside him.

There! His familiar was forming!

Reveling in the feeling Loki didn’t stop just spoke louder.

The flames from the candles rose high before the candles exploded, sending bits of wax in all directions, startling Loki into stopping.

Loki took a shaky breath as he began to feel the effects of the use of his magic. He didn’t think this spell would be so taxing. Nothing a snack couldn’t fix. A snack he could share with his familiar!

Speaking of...he caught sight of glowing eyes from the cloud in the center.

“Meow,” he heard from the circle.

A cat! His familiar was a cat!

He had done it! Loki made a fanning motion with his hand then a small gust of wind blew away the smoke.

Loki’s face fell.

This couldn’t be right.

“Meow.”

There certainly was a cat in the circle.

A fluffy, long haired tabby with big round hazel eyes.

No.

He turned to his book, rereading everything.

He had gotten the right ingredients! He had drawn the symbols correctly! He felt his stomach drop. Maybe he had spoken the incantation wrong? He looked over it again but felt disappointment when that wasn’t the case. He had spoken clearly and chanted correctly.

Everything had been right.

Everything except the result.

He lowered the book, staring at the cat. The cat stared back.

“This can’t be right.” Loki shook his head. “No, I was supposed to get a witch’s familiar! Like, like, a black cat! Not Garfield!”

The cat blinked and if the young witch hadn’t been freaking out he could’ve sworn the damn thing looked insulted at being called “Garfield”.

Loki looked back at the book, flipping pages to seek answers.

Maybe there was a way to reverse this or at least send the damn thing back because he was not going to accept this.

He deserved a proper familiar!

The book held no such answers unfortunately. There had to be something else. Maybe another book on the matter?

The cat had made its way over to him all the while, rubbing against his legs.

It almost made Loki momentarily forget his thoughts of replacing the creature.

The cat was cute.

Until he saw the hair it left on his black pants.

Not _that_ cute.

This was going to be a nightmare. He’d have to buy a damn lint roller or find a hair repelling spell. Why did his magic hate him so? He couldn’t even be mad at the cat. It didn’t choose its form after all.

The cat looked up at him before rubbing against him one last time then leaving to explore the basement.

Loki groaned and with a flick of his wrist cleaned up the mess he made with his spell. He’d have to explore his options later. He felt sapped from the spell. A simple clean up like that shouldn’t leave him so haggard. He eyed the cat as it sniffed at something before sneezing. Right. That was the cause.

\--

He was thankful his father and brother were on an errand. He really didn’t want to deal with them. Thor would no doubt tease him while his father look on in disappointment.

His mother on the other hand…

Frigga just smiled as she pet the cat on her lap. The damn thing looked so pleased with itself as it purred.

“You know,” his mother began, “this might not be as horrible as you think.”

Loki sighed. “Why is that?”  
  
“Well, black cats are just too obvious,” she smiled at the cat. “You’re just so friendly none would be the wiser!”

The cat meowed as if agreeing with her sentiments.

“If you say so, mother.”

“Oh, don’t be like that Loki.” She reached for his hand. “You summoned a familiar! That’s a great accomplishment for a witch.”

Well, when one put it that way.

“Thank you, mother.”

She gave his hand a pat while smiling before turning her attention back to the cat. “So has he told you his name yet?”

“Beg pardon?”

Frigga looked surprised. “No?”

Loki frowned now staring at the cat. Panic seized him. Did he really summon a familiar? In his disappointment he had forgotten that a witch and familiar could communicate to each other. What if he had conjured up an ordinary cat?

“That...that can’t be I performed the spell correctly,” he found himself muttering.

“Well, magic doesn’t always behave like it should.” Frigga laughed lightly. “I’m sure he’ll speak with you soon, dear. Nothing to worry about.”

Loki swallowed. “Right.”

The cat stared at him before blinking slowly.

\--

Frustration rose as each day passed without a word exchanged between him and the cat.

He tries talking to the creature hoping that will coax it into speaking.

It doesn’t work but he can’t help but rant to the damn thing anyway. It listens but never answers except in meows or walking off like an asshole. It couldn’t possibly be his familiar! They were empathetic to their witches! This damn thing didn’t act like it cared at all.  
Despite this he buys fancy cat food and toys and any other damn accessory. He hoped gifts would be the key but it seemed just as ineffective as talking to it. It was amusing to play with the creature but Loki couldn’t help but feel it would be better if they spoke.

The cat likes listening to music.

He catches him near his mother’s turntable, relaxed as can be.

Frigga coos. “Oh, he’s so cute Loki! Do you like Peter Frampton, kitty?”

The cat meows as if that’s an acceptable answer.

\--

His father and brother return home.

He doesn’t advertise his familiar but the cat wanders about and it becomes known anyway. His father makes no comment but Thor is excited. He can’t help but congratulate his brother excitedly.

It’s embarrassing.

“I’m jealous! I haven’t summoned a familiar!”

Loki shrugs, he’d feel like the praise was more deserved if his familiar spoke to him. “I’m sure if you wanted to you could.”

Thor just laughed. “Thank you brother!” He looked at the cat with admiration. “I’ll be honest when I think of you having a familiar, I always imagined a crow for yours.”

Loki hummed. “Yes, well, he’s what I’m fated for.”

“I’m sure he’ll be a wonderful companion! What’s his name?”

“I don’t know.”

“Pardon?”

“I _don’t_ know, Thor.” Loki sneered waiting for the annoying teasing but instead Thor looked concerned.

His eyes drifted to the books piled on the kitchen table. No doubt he could see the titles about communication with animals. Loki had given up trying to bond. He figured there had to be other ways.

“You haven’t shared words yet.” Thor kneeled down beside the cat.

The cat looked at him with a bored expression before Thor began using his own magic.

Thor’s skills in communicating with animals weren’t the best but Loki knew he could do it. The anxiety was building as the cat seemed to be holding a conversation with his brother. Yammering, practically. If he wasn’t so frustrated with this entire situation Loki may have taken a video of it.

“You have not bonded with him yet,” he states to him privately. “I don’t understand.”

Loki crosses his arms as he feels the prickle of inadequacy rise. Magic came easy to Thor so of course he couldn’t understand. Nothing was difficult for Thor. Ugh.

“I don’t know,” he grumbles. “The cat doesn’t want to speak with me!”

Thor frowns. “But he does.”

“Then why doesn’t he?”

“He says he’s been trying but no one listens.”

Loki’s nostrils flared. “If lying around and shedding everywhere is speaking then I suppose I’ve been doing it all wrong!”

“Loki…”

Loki huffed before deflating. “I don’t understand. I did everything correctly. I used the correct ingredients.” He wrung his hands together. “Everything turned out wrong.”

Thor clapped his back. “Maybe that’s the problem.”

“What?”

“You think it’s all wrong. You haven’t bonded properly because you don’t accept him...not really.”

Loki frowned before shrugging his brother’s hand off his back. “You make it sound like I ignore him.”  
“You may not ignore him but have you really treated him as anything other than a cat?”

“But he is a cat!”

“Father’s ravens are birds but they’re also his familiars,” Thor tried explaining. “He doesn’t treat them like pets.”

“I’ve seen him spoil those birds so I don’t buy that.”

His brother laughed. “Maybe so but they work together...after all a witch has many uses for a familiar so what were your intentions?”

Loki frowned. “I just wanted to perform the magic to prove I could do it.”

“Well, you’ve certainly proven you can.”

“But it isn’t right because we haven’t bonded.”

Thor ran a hand through his hair. “Would you like me to ask my friends advice? I know some have familiar maybe they can help.”

That was the last thing Loki wanted. “Very well but don’t make it sound like it’s about me.”

His brother laughed. “Of course.”

\--

Advice Thor gathered mostly involved finding a purpose for the familiar.

Tony’s familiar used to be his father’s so it took time to bond with Steve. In time the golden lab become loyal to Tony. He kept the man company and assisted him in his experiments by being experimented on (something he was used to because that’s what Howard had summoned him for initially).

“Just tell your friend to not give up, Point Break! No matter how much you want to rip your hair out.”

Thor’s friend Groot wanted help with his magical garden and company so the spell produced Rocket. The raccoon kept pests away and helped Groot tend to all the plants he grew. The two were inseparable.

“We are Groot” which means it’s okay if it takes time because Rocket didn’t come out liking him immediately, according to Thor anyway. Groot spent too much time communicating with nature he had a hard time speaking normally.

Bruce’s familiar came to him not the other way around. One day there was just a fox on his bed and she never left his side since. She was helpful with his condition caused by some sort of faulty concoction. Natasha was there to ground Bruce in case his condition got the best of him.

“It’s like she knew I needed her so she appeared so maybe your friend needed whatever they summoned. They just need to figure out what that need is.”

What kind of need was there for something he casted just to prove he could? He wanted to be like other witches, like his father or sister. They had familiars. His sister had summoned Fenrir with ease surprising everyone because what need do you have for a damn wolf?

His need was maybe too superficial? Is that why his relationship with the damn thing only surface level?

The cat was on his bed, not quite dozing.

What was it like for the cat? To be summoned and not bond with your witch that must not feel good, right?

He sighed before sitting on the bed. The cat eyed him but didn’t move. He began petting him. “Y’know I’ve been thinking about what on earth your purpose could be which led me to thinking about what my purpose is.”

The cat didn’t answer of course.

“I don’t have a purpose.” He shrugged. “No one has purpose. We’re all put on this earth to find some kind of meaning to all of it but there isn’t one true answer, is there?”

The cat blinked.

“Can’t you just be my familiar because I wanted a familiar? I mean, I summoned you just fine. You’re a healthy cat with no visible defects except maybe you indulge in my mother’s ancient music.” He chuckled. “I know I wasn’t pleased when I first saw you and for that I apologize. You aren’t so bad even if you aren’t a black cat.”

The cat pressed into his hand.

“It would be nice if we talked not just because we’re supposed to but it would be easier...and nice.” He sighed. “One-sided conversations are fine but things could be better don’t you agree?”

He continued petting the cat not paying much mind to a mild buzzing feeling in his hand.

“I want someone to talk to,” Loki finally confessed. “I want someone who will listen and offer advice. Someone I can trust who isn’t my mother or Thor.”

He stopped petting the cat. “Maybe that someone could be you.”

The cat blinked then blinked again before yawning.

“Sure, dude, why didn’t you just say so?”

Loki started.

The cat yawned again before sitting up. “Man, do you know how annoying your dad’s familiars are? They were assholes talking shit about me cuz we weren’t bonded! Like that’s _my_ fault! No offense but it took you way too long to get your shit together.”

The young witch was flabbergasted, completely speechless.

“What?” the cat pawed at his hand. “Don’t make me say it, dude! That’s cliche as hell!”

“Say-say what?” He managed to stutter.

“Y’know ’cat got your tongue’?” The cat shook its head. “Like it’s perfect but also super lame.”

“Right.”

Loki couldn’t help but stare again.

“What?”

“Just...it was so easy why-why now?”

The cat huffed before crawling unto his lap. “Boss, I couldn’t tell ya but all I care about is that we’re good now. Good enough for me it should be good enough for you.”

Loki found himself nodding before petting his familiar again. He broke into a smile. He had done it. He had summoned a familiar and bonded with it!  
“Oh! Before I forget do you have a name?” He looked down at the cat.

The cat seemed to mull it over before nodding. “I like Peter.”

“Peter?”

“Yeah, after that Peter Frampton dude your mom likes.” He sighed. “He’s got a great voice.”

Loki didn’t expect that but he didn’t argue. “Peter it is.”

\--

Peter was a chatty cat. He had opinions on a lot of things. Things that weren’t all that important but Loki never told him to shut up. He’d just learned to tune him out when he needed to focus on other things.

Loki never really had much of a gauge on his magic. When things didn’t work out he pushed and pushed until they did. This often left him drained. Peter was good at sensing when he was at his limits and was sure to tell him so.

“Stop going ham and take a breather, boss.”

It took him by surprise but really, Peter was linked with his magic so of course he’d know what kind of reserves he had. Those times when asked to pause in whatever spell he’s trying to cast Peter would make his way to cuddle him. Peter called it a refresher.

“I’m giving you some magic to work with.”

You wouldn’t guess that with all the nuzzling and purring but he wasn’t lying. Afterwards he was ready and able to cast whatever spell with no problems.

“Toldja.”

He approached his mother about it. According to her Peter stored some of his excess magic like a sponge. When he was at his limits Peter just passed on that stored magic that he needed like a power bank.

Loki really had no idea how useful familiars were.

All this time the fluffy cat had been holding spare magic. Amazing.

He scooped Peter into his arms and placed an affectionate peck on the cat’s head.

“Someone’s feeling awful sappy.”

Loki chuckled. “I can’t help it.”

“Why’s that?”

“Mm.” He snuggled against his soft fur. “I’m just happy you’re mine.”

Peter was quiet before nuzzling back in kind. “Ditto, Loki. Ditto.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for sticking with me. It was probably weird or very basic lol.
> 
> The title is actually a Peter Frampton song. Ayy~
> 
> Hope there wasn't too many grammar mistakes bleh. 
> 
> Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think!


End file.
